The mild winter has not only wreaked havoc with winter sports -- it's to blame for increased cases of canine distemper in gray foxes, said Katie Keen, wildlife outreach technician with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The signs of recognizing an animal with distemper can be easy, said Boyne City interim police chief Craig Remsberg.

He should know. One of his officers had to deal with what they suspect was a distempered fox just Sunday.

"The main thing with a distempered animal is that they behave in ways you would never expect an animal to behave," said Remsberg. "This one did actually walk toward the officer. The animals act like they're intoxicated. They walk in a weaving line and look at you in a spooky way."

Because the fox was within Boyne City's city limits -- within the subdivision Harborage Heights just off Front Sreet -- police officers were discharged to deal with the animal.

Seven counties across Northern Michigan, including Charlevoix County, have reported cases of gray foxes infected with the disease, said Keen. The virus causes respiratory and intestinal problems, such as coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, or discharge from the nose and eyes.

The virus also causes wild animals, such as wolves, coyotes and, in this case, gray foxes, to show abnormal behavior, including a lack of fear, aggression, disorientation and lack of alertness.

The fox in Boyne City was the second that is suspected of having canine distemper in Charlevoix County in a little more than two weeks: another was submitted for testing by the Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

But while the cases have increased, Remsberg said they are still rare. However, he encourages people to exercise caution if they see animals acting out of the ordinary.

"That's the danger with a distempered animal is that they do approach people. People might think, hey, it's just a friendly wild animal, and that can be extremely dangerous," said Remsberg.

Increased contact between foxes because of the mild winter probably is to blame.

"Some cases will pick up when the weather is warm," said Keen. "Also, this time of year is the end of their (foxes') mating season, so that would obviously be a point of contact."

Foxes with distemper have been collected between September and February.

"Occasionally, separate families may share a den," said Keen. "We don't usually see a pack of foxes, but this time of year, they're just active."

If you see a wild animal acting strangely, call 9-1-1, said Remsberg. Dispatchers can then determine whether a local police department or the Department of Natural Resources should deal with the animal.

"Safety is foremost in everybody's mind," said Remsberg. "Don't approach wild animals. A healthy wild animal is not going to behave that way. If it's going to spook, it's going to spook in the opposite way, and should run away from you."